Vicki Vale meets the stranger from the library.

On the other side of Gotham city in the middle of the day, Vicki Vale typed away in front of a lap top at the table of an outside café. The incident at the library last night was still fresh in her mind and she was working on an article to deliver to the Gotham Gazette with what she witnessed. Leaning back in her chair she was still shaking her head, trying to wrap around what she witnessed and what she should do with the information. Looking over to a small pile of photos did not make her decision any easier. She knew what she saw, but the camera told a different story all together. Nothing! She swore she took a picture of the man at the table fending off the members of the Two-Face gang that attacked the library, but instead all her photos showed everything but the man she focused her camera on. It was like he was invisible, or a ghost.

“I don’t know if I should take this to my boss or sell it to the tabloids… An invisible man in Gotham, maybe it’ll share space with the death cult in the sewers story and the wolfman sightings in this city.”

“I assure you I am not invisible unless I choose to be.”

Looking up from her photo collection and up to the man standing across from her at the café table, Vicki Vale smiled at the man from last night, giving the woman a hint to be allowed to sit with her. “You came, I was worried you wouldn’t show up.”

Giving the woman a polite courtesy before sitting, an act Vicki found both charming and yet old fashioned, the man sat carefully, giving her an appraising look. “You wanted me to meet you here, in the middle of the day, do you not believe me dangerous as the men who attacked me?”

“No, I don’t.” She answered confidently. “Count Bolg Varcolac, we met at the Gala at the Wayne mansion some time ago.” Vicki answered, offering her hand to the man as he openly received it and shook her hand gently in his. “I’ve… I have so many questions for you.”

Finally remembering, the Count smiled back at the beautiful blonde woman, resting his chin under his gloved palm, he smiled back at the eager young woman sitting across from him. “Ah yes, I remember now, you had quite a bit to tell me that night about the city when we first met.”

Blinking back confused, Vicki tilted her head to the side. “Really? When did we…”

Leaning back in his chair and politely waving a hand to hide his laughter, the man explained. “You had quite a bit to drink that night, we danced briefly with the other guests before you pulled me aside to the balcony overlooking the grounds of the estate.” He lied, reading her behaviour to the information and where to go from there. Nodding her head and accepting the explanation, Vicki Vale smiled to herself and pulled out her notepad and tape recorder. “Well, yes… Hmm I guess we ALL had quite a bit too much wine at the gala.”

“I do not drink… Wine.”

“Can you explain these pictures to me, your highness?” Vicki asked, sliding the photos to the Count across the table. Picking them up with his gloved hand, the pale skinned Count looked them over one at a time, chuckling at the images they captured and how he was absent in each one of them. “Only that they were well taken by a skilled hand and a careful eye for detail.” The Count pointed out with a knowing smile that made the woman blush and turn to the side slightly. “I am surely vexed why a woman such as you would seek me out after the events at the library, do you not believe me dangerous?”

“Well, there are a lot of criminals in Gotham and believe me they aren’t subtle, you don’t strike me as a very cruel person.” Giving the handsome man a look over, Vicki was trying to remember what happened at the gala now that the subject had been brought up, but every time she did, there were spots she could not remember, but she did remember him. His handsome features, his polite mannerisms, his exotic accent and his fiery red eyes. “At least I hope you’re not dangerous.”

Reaching out with his hands to rest over hers, the Count looked deeply into her eyes, transfixing the reporter when she did the same. Although his powers were greater in the dark of night, even in broad daylight his power to hypnotise his victims were as strong as ever, even more so with a previous victim. “I assure you Miss Vale, I am not dangerous… To you, or anyone for that matter.” Blinking sleepily, Vicki Vale found herself getting lost in his eyes, an odd memory locked away in her mind told her this had happened before, that she was in terrible danger, and yet she could not look away. “You are an inquisitive woman that searches for answers where there are questions, what if I told you I can provide you with answers to questions you never knew to ask?”

“Wha-what kind of answers?” She whispered, her eyes fluttering yet still locked on his ruby gaze. “You seek to know the secrets of this city, as do I, you wish to know about … Batman… How to find him, how to stop him, how to defeat him…”

“Yes…” Vicki answered, a spark to her voice once the image formed in her mind, the one reporter to know the secrets of the most secretive vigilante in Gotham, to achieve the impossible. “I’ve tried for years, but I’ve never been able to find out who he is.”

“Perhaps we can find that out together… But not here, do you know of a place more private?” He asked, his eyes still locked to hers. “Do you have a place to stay young lady?”

“I… I have an apartment not too far from here…”

“Would you care to show me?” He asked, taking her hand in his and leading them to stand.

“Of course…”